Sleep training conundrum

[Drummerdaddy]

Hi everyone,

Looking for a bit of advice. Our little boy is 11 months old. His sleep is erratic - some nights he sleeps 7.30pm-6am, some nights he's up for 2hrs at 3am (& won't be put down), some nights he's up twice for a quick cuddle. This is a huge improvement on the 2-hourly wake ups he was doing until about 6 months and through no intervention from us so far - he's just gotten there by himself. His naps are also erratic but generally only 2x 45min a day, sometimes a longer morning nap.

The issue is how he falls asleep - he needs cuddling. Which of course we've been happy to do until now but with return to work looming for my wife and him being super heavy, we really need to find another way.

We've started trying PU/PD (not for long enough yet to see a difference) and aren't sure it works with his temperament - he cries as soon as we begin lowering him into the cot and calms as soon as we pick him up. Which makes sense from his point of view! But not sure if/how to continue with this.

Is it worth persevering? Or is it time for CC? We're absolutely not doing CIO. Any advice or experience on whether PU/PD is likely to work at his age, or whether we should do CC?

He's never had a dummy (wouldn't take one when he was little) so we're trying to introduce a comforter, although he doesn't seem interested.

Any advice gratefully received!

[FATEdestiny]

How about doing all the comforting with him lying in the cot?

Of course he'll cry. But you stay rightvthete with him. Lots of attention, comfort, care, eye contact, compassion, shushing, patting, stroking... whatever it takes for however long it takes.

This is not denying your comfort like cc. It is just teaching him a different way to get that comfort from you at bedtime.